Safety horn-block and tripping mechanism



e. JOHNSON. SAFETY HORN BLOCK AND-TRIPPING MECHANISM. APPLIQATIGN FILED MAR. 27. I9l9- RENEWED JUNE 2. 192(1- 1,364,627.

Patented J an. 4, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

- INVENTOR- G. M. JOHNSON. SAFETY HORN BLOCK AND TRIPPlNG MECHANISM. APPLICATION FLE!) MAR. 21. 1919. .RENEWED JUNE 2, I920- 1,364,627. Patented Jan. 4,1921.

2 SHEETSQSHEET 2.

GEORGE M. JOHNSON, OF MCDONALD, PENNSYLVANIA,

SAFETY HORN-BLOCK AND TRIPIPING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Application filed March 27, 1919, Serial No. 285,158. Renewed June 2, 1920. Serial No. 386,046.

has for its object to provide, in a manner as l hereinafter set forth, means associated with a mine cage to arrest a car or cars when run thereon to prevent the car or cars from being accidentally dislodged therefrom until said means is released, and to further provide, for the locking of the car or cars on the cage to prevent the dislodgment thereof when the cage is tilted.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth, stop blocks for engagement with the front and rear wheels of a car, when run upon a cage, to lock the car on the cage, and to further provide means associated with the blocks to cushion the same when impacted upon by the wheels of the car whereby the life of the blocks is increased and damage to the wheels reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a manner as hereinafter set forth, front and rear slidable stop blocks for use on a mine cage to lock a car thereon, said front and rear blocks sliding longitudinally of the cage and in unison, and to further provide means for connecting a front to a rear stop block whereby said blocks will shift in unison and further freely slide or shift in case the central portion of the cage body buckles.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the ront or forward stop blocks are automatically sh fted to released position, when a car or cars is or are run on a mine cage when the cage 18 arranged stationary at a landing of the mine shaft, and Without dependlng upon the movement of the cage, to release the blocks.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner asherelnafter set forth, a horn block mechanism for the purpose referred to, constructed and arranged relatively to the track rails to prevent clogglng of theblocks so as not to interfere with the operatlve movement thereof, such mechanism being simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, efficient" and convenient in 1ts use, readily-set up and comparatively inexpensive.

W1th the foregoingand other objects, in view this invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specificallydescribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

in the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a side elevation of a mine cage showing the adaptation therewith of a horn block mechanism in accordance with this'invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a horn blockmechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 denotes a mine cage, having its bottonr2, provided with a pair of trackrails 3.

Upon the bottom 2, exterior of each of the trackrails is fixedly secured rectangular supports which are indicated by the reference characters 4, 5, 6, 7, each of said supports extends above the tread of the trackrail and is formed centrally with a rectangular slot or opening 8. Each support at one end has a bore 9, which opens into one end of the slot 8 and each support at its other end has a bore 10, which opens into the other end of the slot 8.

Slidably mounted in the bores 9, 10, and extending across the slot 8, of the support f, is a slide rod, 11, ,which projects inwardly.

from the inner end of the support 4:. Mounted in the bores 9, 10, and extending across the slot 8, of the support 5, is a slide rod 12, which projects inwardly from said support 5. Slidably mounted in the bores 9, 10, and extending across the slot 8, of the support 6, is a slide rod 13, which projects forwardly from said support 6.

Slidably mounted in the bores 9, 10, and extending across the slot 8, of the support 7, is a slide rod 13, which projects forwardly from said support 7.

The forward stop blocks which are fixedly secured to the 'rods 11, 12, extend into the supports 4 and 5. Each of the forward stop blocks consists of a base 14, of less length than the length of the slot 8, and which is formed with an opening through which extends a slide rod. The base is fixedly secured to the slide rod. Projecting upwardly from the base 14, is an arm or horn 16, formed with the working surface or surfaces 17, which engage and overlap the tread of a wheel 18*. The working surfaces are disposed at an angle with respect to the arm 16.

One of the forward stop blocks has its base 14, at its inner end provided with a depending crank and the base 14, of the other forward stop block has its forward end provided with a depending crank. The cranks are indicated at 18, and extenddown through openings or slots 19, formed in the bottom 2.

Each of the slide rods 11, 12, is formed with a shackle or clevis 20, and is further provided with an adjustable nut 21, and washer 22.

Surrounding the slide rods 11, 12, and interposed between the washers 22, and supports 4, 5, are cushioning elements 23, in the form of coiled compression springs.

The rear stop blocks which are indicated at 24, 25, are similar in construction to the forward stop blocks with this exception, that the rear end of the bases 26, of said rear stop blocks have depending arms 27, which extend down through the openings 23, and have expanding springs 29, hearing thereagainst for maintaining the rear stop blocks normally in position to extend over the tread of the track rails so as to be in the path of the wheels of the car. The expanding springs 29, are secured in any suitable manner to the bottom 2.

The rear stop blocks 24, 25, are fixedly secured respectively to the slide rods 13, 13, these latter are provided with shackles or clevises 30, adjusting nuts 31, washers 32, and cushioning elements 33, in the form of coiled extensible springs which are mounted on the rods 13, 13, between the washers 32 and the supports 6, 7. The rear stop blocks are set up whereby they can be automatically shifted by the wheels of the car when the cage is run upon the rails 3, and through the action of the springs 29, will automatically shift over the rails 3, after the wheels have passed the blocks, restoring the blocks to operative position to lock the rear wheels of the car.

The slide rod 11, is connected to the slide rod 13, by a flexible element 34, preferably a chain and the slide rod 12, is connected to the slide rod 13, by a flexible element 35, preferably a chain. By this construction when the forward stop blocks are impacted upon bythe wheels of the car they Will be shifted longitudinally with respect to the cage and owing to the connections between the slide rods the rear stop blocks will be carried therewith. The sliding movement of the forward stop blocks and the rear stop blocks will be against the action of the springs 23, 33, thereby providing a cushion for the blocks.

The springs 23, 33, will tend to maintain the stop blocks in close contact with the treads of the wheels of the car.

The forward stop blocks are shifted to released position to allow the car to be run off the cage, through the medium of a pair of actuating rods 36, 37, which are connected to the crank arms 18. Extending down through the bottom 2, of the cage 1, is a vertically disposed shaft 38, provided on its lower end with a lever 39, which is connected as at 40 to the rod 36, and as at 40, to the rod 37. The upper end of the shaft 38, has a crank 42, which is connected as at 43, to an operating bar 44, mounted in supports 45, secured on the bottom 2.

The operating bar 44, is shifted by any suitable mechanism arranged at the landing.

When the bar 44, is shifted the forward stop blocks are swung clear of the wheels of the car, and such operation is had against the action of a coiled spring 46, which has one end secured to the extended end 47 of the lever arm 39, and its other end secured to the bottom of the cage.

The spring 46, restores the forward stop blocks to normal position which is in the path of travel of the car wheel.

The flexible connections between the slide rods provide means to overcome binding of the slide rods when the central part of the body of the cage buckles.

if the forward stop blocks and the rear stop blocks were mounted on a single rod the buckling of the cage at its center would buckle the rodend such action binding the same and retarding its sliding movement, thus preventing the simultaneous cushioning action to the front and rear blocks as they would be unable to shift longitudinally in unison.

That I claim is:

1. A horn block mechanism for mine cages comprising a pair of automatically operable rear stop blocks normally in operative position, a pair of forward stop blocks normally in operative position, a shifting mechanism for moving said forward stop blocks to inoperative position, and a cushioned longitudinally movable and oscillatory sliding element fixed to each of said stop blocks, each of said blocks sliding and oscillating with its respective sliding element, and means for flexibly connecting the slide elements of the rear stop blocks to the slide elements of the forward stop blocks.

2. A horn block mechanism for mine cages comprising a pair of automatically operable rear stop blocks normally in operative position, a pair of forward stop blocks normally in operation position, a shifting mechanism for moving said forward stop blocks to inoperative position, and a cushioned longitudinally movable and oscillatory sliding element fixed to each of said blocks, each of said blocks sliding and oscillating with its respective sliding element, and means for flexibly connecting the slide elements of the rear stop blocks to the slide elements of the forward stop blocks, and a stationary support for each of said elements, said elements each projecting from one end of its respective support.

3. A horn block mechanism for mine cages comprising a pair of oscilaltory forward stop blocks, a pair of oscillatory rear stop blocks, a cushioned and longitudinally slidable element for each of said blocks, each of said blocks fixed to and moving with its respective element, and means for connecting the slidable elements for the rear stop blocks to the slidable elements for the front stop blocks whereby said front and rear stop blocks will slide in unison.

4. A horn block mechanism for mine cages comprising a pair of front and a pair of rear spring controlled slide elements, means for flexibly connecting said rear elements to said front elements, and a stop block fixedly secured to and moving with each of said elements.

5. A horn block mechanism for mine cages comprising a pair of front and a pair of rear spring controlled oscillatory slide elements, means for connecting said rear elements to said front elements, and a stop block fixedly secured to and moving with each of said elements.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE M. JOHNSON. 

